For Holden Associates, the challenge wasn’t a lack of software. It was the opposite.

Too many standalone systems.
Too much duplication.
Not enough visibility.

As founder Jason Holden explains, the firm relied on several products that simply didn’t talk to each other, including GoProposal and Pixie alongside other standalone tools.

“The limitation was needing several products that didn’t communicate. The bottlenecks were created by tools that were designed to work in isolation.”

Over time, that patchwork approach became unsustainable. And when GoProposal was acquired by Sage and product development stalled, it accelerated the need for change.

At that point, change wasn’t optional.

Discovering Engager Early

Jason first came across Engager online, back when it was still in its early stages. While some functionality was still evolving, what stood out immediately was the mindset behind the product.

“There was basic functionality missing at the time. I spoke to Peter, the developer, and within two hours he’d made three software changes that solved my issues. Who wouldn’t use that product?”

That experience set Engager apart. It wasn’t just software. It was a platform being actively built with real firms in mind.

One Clean Switch, Done Properly

Rather than a slow, phased rollout, Holden Associates committed fully.

“We jumped in with both feet.”

Instead of bulk uploading legacy data, the firm chose to start clean. Every client was set up deliberately, ensuring accuracy and consistency from day one.

“It meant more work upfront, but it gave us a system we could trust.”

Building a Fully Functioning Practice System

It took time to get everything exactly how the firm wanted it. Around nine months in total, but the end result was a system covering every core area of the practice:

• Quoting

• Letters of Engagement

• Client onboarding

• Job and deadline tracking

• Automated client communications

“Quoting, job tracking and onboarding are now super efficient. We save hours, but more importantly, we don’t miss deadlines and we have a set way of doing everything.”

Visibility Across a Distributed Team

Holden Associates operates with a mix of office-based, remote, and offshore staff. Visibility across work was critical.

Engager gave the team a single source of truth.

“Staff know where everything is up to. It’s especially useful with remote staff, because the office-based manager can instantly see job status.”

That clarity has had a direct impact on client experience and internal confidence.

One small but telling change:

“I used to forget things when onboarding new clients, like submitting 64-8s. That just doesn’t happen anymore.”

Advice for Other Firms

Jason’s advice to firms considering Engager is refreshingly direct:

“Do it.”

And when it comes to evaluating practice management software:

“Go through every section in the order they appear. The setup is logical if you follow it properly.”

Looking Ahead

For Holden Associates, Engager isn’t just supporting the firm today. It’s making future growth simpler.

“It makes growth easy. Quotes, engagement letters, onboarding, job tracking. Once what we already use is fully optimised, we’ll look at even more features.”

When asked how confident he feels about scaling with Engager:

“Totally.”